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The origins of the Ulster unionist party, 1885–6

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2016

D.C. Savage
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Extract

The years 1885–6 were years of political confusion in Great Britain and Ireland. No less than four governments were in office from the spring of 1885 to the summer of 1886. Gladstone's government, beset by ministerial quarrels, fell on 9 June 1885, and was succeeded by the caretaker government of Lord Salisbury. The general election of December prolonged this political instability. The liberals were returned but with a majority of only two over the other parties. Salisbury remained in power until 27 January 1886 when he was defeated in the house. Gladstone, already a convert to some form of home rule for Ireland, formed a cabinet and drew up two bills, the Government of Ireland Bill and the Land Purchase (Ireland) Bill. The former was introduced on 8 April and exactly two months later was defeated owing to the desertion of ninety-three liberal members. In the subsequent general election the conservatives and liberal unionists routed the Gladstonian forces.

Type
Article
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 12 , Issue 47 , March 1961 , pp. 185 - 208
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 1961

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References

1 The chief manuscript sources consulted were the papers of Lord Salisbury (Christ Church, Oxford), W. E. Gladstone (British Museum), Sir Strafford Northcote (Public Record Office, London), Lord Spencer (Althorp), the marquis of Hartington (Chatsworth), Lord Erne (Crom Castle), Lord Rossmore (Camla Vale, Rossmore Park), and the minute books of the I.L.P.U. (Public Record Office, Belfast, and University of Montreal). The most useful newspapers were the Northern Whig, the Belfast News-Letter, the Irish Times, the Morning News, the Scotsman, the Glasgow Herald, and the Pall Mall Gazette. The only significant account by a participant is Macknight, Ulster as it is. All references to 1886 are to the day and month only. The term Ulster is used to include the nine counties since this was the common usage in 1886. The following abbreviations are used : Macknight for Macknight, Ulster as it is; Whig for Northern Whig; and News-Letter for Belfast News-Letter.

2 Speech of R. W. Dane at Kesh, Fermanagh Times, 1 April. Dane was election agent in North Fermanagh in 1885.

3 Ibid., 3 Dec. 1885.

4 Lady Leslie to Salisbury, 2 Dec. 1885 (Salisbury MSS).

5 Abercorn to Salisbury, 23 July (Salisbury MSS).

6 In the early eighties the nationalists won a by-election in Monaghan and threatened to stage meetings throughout Ulster, a development which gave the Orangemen the opportunity to organize violent counter-demonstrations which overshadowed the activities of the official conservatives. W. Allison (Conservative Press Co. Ltd.) to Rossmore, 19 June 1884 (Rossmore MSS); Northcote to Crichton, 20 Oct., 16 Dec. 1883, 17 Jan. 1884 (Erne MSS).

7 Macknight, i, ch. 8. Saunderson was elected as a liberal for Cavan in 1868 and as an Orangeman for South Belfast in 1885.

8 Lucas, Colonel Saunderson, M.P., passim; Irish Times, 26 Jan.

9 Whig, 3, 4, 5 Nov. 1885.

10 William White to Gladstone, 13 May (B.M. Add. MS 44497, f-215). White was editor of the Lurgan Times.

11 The liberals also held one urban seat, so that their total was 9. The conservatives held 16 seats and the nationalists 3. 6 boroughs, of which 5 were held by the conservatives and one by the liberals, were to disappear with redistribution, but the total number of seats was to increase from 28 to 33. Dod’s parliamentary companion, 1868–85; Macknight, i. 169–71, 291, 373–4.

12 The newspaper directory, 1886.

13 Hartington was invited to open the Ulster Reform Club, and Macknight’s book was dedicated to him. Macknight, ii. 100–3.

14 For Down, see Whig, 30 Sept. 1885.

15 Letters of Gaussen, P.C., Whig, 18, 22 Sept. 1885 Google Scholar; letter of J. D. Boyd, 22 Sept. 1885; letter of James Johnston, 23 Sept. 1885; editorials and reports, 23, 25 Sept., 6, 10, 19, 28 Oct. 1885. The liberal candidate in South Deny antagonized some liberal presbyterians by refusing to take the temperance pledge and by his withdrawal from the presbyterian church. Irwin (Chief Clerk, Presbytery of Coleraine) to Spencer, 25 Jan. (Althorp MSS).

16 T. M. Healy (N) 4,723; Col. H. McCalmont (C) 2,341; W. Findlater (L) 1,816.

17 Letters “of Montgomery, Whig, 22 July, 13, 24, 25 August, 26 Nov., 3, 11, 19, 22, 28 Dec. 1885; letter of Dickson, 1 Oct. 1885; letters of Macartney, 3, 5 Oct. 1885; letter of Robert Bell (sec, Co. Tyrone Liberal Association), 6 Oct. 1885; letters of Herdman (pres., Co. Tyrone Liberal Association), 23, 24 Nov., 2 Dec. 1885; letter of Findlater, 24 Nov. 1885; letters of W. T. MacGrath, 13 August, 22 Dec. 1885; letter of J. Smith (ex-sec, Clogher Branch, Co. Tyrone Liberal Association), 5 Oct. 1885; letters of Macartney, Irish Times, 29 Sept., 5 Oct. 1885; letter of Dickson, 1 Oct. 1885; letter of Herdman, 13 Oct. 1885.

18 Whig, 12 Nov. 1885.

19 Ibid., 16, 19, 20, 23 Nov., 5, 8 Dec. 1885; William O’Brien (N) 3,434; Somerset Maxwell (C) 3,382.

20 Hamilton to Hartington, 15 Nov- 1885 (Ghatsworth MS 340, 1832). Statement of Lord Ernest Hamilton, Whig, 14 Nov. 1885.

21 Whig, 10 August 1885.

22 At the Agnes Street Orange Hall in West Belfast. Ibid., 12 Sept. 1885.

23 ParnelPs manifesto, Whig, 26 Nov. 1885. The nationalists were directed to vote for the Orange candidates unless the liberals supported the nationalists in West Belfast and Derry City. The liberals refused to co-operate.

24 Letters between Sir Stafford Northcote and Lord Grichton, 1880–4 (Erne MSS and Northcote MSS); letters to Salisbury from lords Waterford, Limerick, and Arthur Hill (Salisbury MSS). For instance, Northcote corresponded with Grichton, and Salisbury with Arthur Hill over the formation of the Irish boundary commission to carry out the work of the Redistribution Act in Ireland. Hill, in turn, corresponded with Finnigan, the agent of the Belfast Conservative Association.

25 Lord Ashbourne became lord chancellor of Ireland with a seat in the cabinet.

26 Hamilton, , Parliamentary reminiscences and reflections, 1886–1906, 20–1.Google Scholar

27 Hansard, 3rd series, vol. ccxcvii, cols 1887–91.

28 Ibid., vol. ccxcix, cols 1107–20.

29 Ibid., cols 1102–25.

30 Ibid., cols 1120–5.

31 Lord G. Hamilton to Salisbury, undated (Salisbury MSS).

32 Abercorn to Salisbury, 26 Dec. (Salisbury MSS).

33 Except for two conservative members for Dublin University, David Plunket and Hugh Holmes.

34 Lucas, op. cit., p. 92.

35 News-Letter, 15 Jan.

36 Ibid., 26 Jan.; Dublin Daily Express, 26 Jan.; Freeman’s Journal, 26 Jan.

37 Lucas, op. cit., 94–6.

38 News-Letter, 26 Jan.

39 Lord Muncaster (Egremont), A. L. Tottenham (Winchester), Col. King Harman (Isle of Thanet), J. G. Gibson (Liverpool-Walton), Lord C. Hamilton (Liverpool-West Derby), Lord G. Hamilton (Ealing), Lord F. Hamilton (Manchester Southwest), R. Dawson (East Leeds), Lord G. Beresford (Marylebone East), R. Bourke (King’s Lynn), R. U. Penrose-Fitzgerald (Cambridge City).

40 Irish Times, 8 March; Whig, 26 March; Glasgow Herald, 18 May.

41 Hansard, vol. ccciii, cols 729–39, 915–22, 1429–47, 1810–42; vol. ccciv, cols 1292–5; vol. ccv, cols 1263–71; vol. cccvi, cols 298–9, 1677–8; vol. cccvii, cols 160–6, 195–7, 269.

42 Irish Times, 8 March; Whig, 9 June.

43 Irish Times, 9 Jan.

44 I.L.P.U. Executive Minute Book 1886; I.L.RU. General Council Minute Book 1886.

45 News-Letter, 5, 9 Jan.

46 Whig, 9 Jan.

47 Ibid., 18 Jan,

48 Ibid., 14, 19 Jan.

49 It first called itself the Ulster Loyalist Anti-Repeal Committee but it changed the word committee to union in a few weeks, News-Letter, 1 May- At this time the term unionist was more common in the south than in the north where it was not widely used until the formation of the Ulster Liberal Unionist Association in June.

50 Ibid., 20 Feb.

51 Ibid., 28 Jan., 4 Feb., 23 August. The money was collected in small amounts from parishes and towns. There were a few larger contributions : Ranfurly £25, Courage & Co. £50, Abercorn £25, Mercers Co. £105, I.L.P.U. (Toronto) £200, Harland £20, Deramore £20.

52 Ibid., 28 Jan.

53 Ibid., 28 Jan., 8 Feb.

54 Ibid., 8, 9, 10 Feb.; Whig attacked Hanna and Kane on 11 Feb.

55 News-Letter, 13 March.

56 Ibid., 19 Jan., 3, 20 Feb. The Scottish Protestant Alliance was some two years old. It opposed home rule because it would mean an independent. Romish state.

57 Ibid., 7 Jan. 1887.

58 Ibid., 20 Feb.

59 Ibid., 16 Feb.

60 Ibid., 25 Feb.

61 Ibid., 2 Feb. Also Kane at Dundrod, 20 Feb.

62 Ibid., 20 Feb.

63 For descriptions of the visit, see News-Letter, 22, 23 Feb.; Whig, 22, 23 Feb.; Churchill, , Lord Randolph Churchill, new ed., pp. 447–50.Google Scholar

64 Whig, 22 Dec. 1885, 5, 9, 18, 22, 26 Jan., 2, 22 Feb.; Macknight, ii. 121.

65 Whig, 23, 24 Feb.

66 Ibid., 15, 20, 28, 29 Jan., 3 Feb.; News-Letter, 29 Jan.; Freeman’s Journal, 3 Feb. Sir James Corry stood for the conservatives; Dickson, with nationalist support, for the liberals.

67 There was friction over the chairmanship of the Garrickfergus Board, the Belfast Harbour Board, and a vacant aldermanship in Belfast. Whig, 19, 24, 25, 27 March, 5 April; News-Letter, 2 April.

68 Memorandum by Bryce, 11 Dec. 1885 (B.M. Add. MS 44470 f. 5).

69 Whig, 13, 16 Jan.

70 Ibid., 27 Feb.

71 For a description of the convention, see Ibid., 20 March.

72 Letters of McGrath, Shillington, Dickson, Whig, 29 March; editorial, 30 March; letters of McCance, Woods (sec. East Tyrone Lib. Assoc.), 1 April; letter of Wm. Bryson, 2 April; letters of John Shaw Brown, 26 March, 6 April; comment, 23, 30 March; Irish Times, 22 March.

73 Macknight, ii. 122.

74 The Ulster Liberal Unionist Association. A sketch of its history, 13–4.

75 See Whig and News-Letter.

76 News-Letter, 20 March.

77 Whig, 12 Jan., letter of Herdman; News-Letter, 12 Jan.; Tyrone Courier, 23 Jan. The Courier was unenthusiastic. It felt that a revivified conservative party was all that was needed.

78 Whig, 15, 20 Jan., 11, 15 Feb., 6, 7 April, 6, 8, 19 May, 7, 18 June; Tyrone Courier, 5, 26 June.

79 I.L.P-U Executive Minute Book 1886.

80 Whig, 6, 7, 8, 9 July; News-Letter, 9 July.

81 News-Letter, 20 March, 17 April, 1, 22 May, 5 June.

82 Ibid., 20 March; Glasgow Herald, 7, 23, 24 April, 4 .May; Scotsman, 19 April. Middle ton to Salisbury, 27 April; N. Morgan (West Glamorgan Cons. Assoc.) to Salisbury, 3 May (Salisbury MSS).

83 News-Letter, 1 May.

84 Ibid., 5 June.

85 Ibid., 24 July. Report of Mostyn.

86 Ibid., 6 April.

87 Ibid, 29 May.

88 Ibid, 18 May.

89 Middleton to Salisbury, 27 April (Salisbury MSS).

90 News-Letter, 13 Feb.

91 Ibid, 2 June, letter of Richards; Whig, 26 June, letter of Currie.

92 Scotsman, 15 Feb.

93 News-Letter, 27 March, 3 April.

94 Ibid, 3 May, letter of Hanna.

95 Ibid, 11, 13 May; Whig, 18 May.

96 News-Letter, 17 18 May.

97 Ibid., 12 June; Whig, 26 May.

98 Irish Times, 22 Dec. 1885.

99 Ibid, 23 Dec. 1885.

100 Whig, 27 April.

101 News-Letter, 25 March.

102 Pall Mall Gazette, 5 April.

103 Whig, 7 April.

104 Dublin Daily Express, 29 April.

105 Whig, 7 May; Morning News, 8 May. It located the speech at Dungannon, a lead followed by most of the English newspapers.

106 Pall Mall Gazette, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17 May

107 Ibid, 14 May.

108 Whig, 2 June.

109 Pall Mall Gazette, 31 May, 2 June.

110 Whig, 5 June.

111 Morning News, 7 June.

112 Lucas, op. cit, 101.

113 Dublin Daily Express, 15 May (New York), 17 May (New South Wales), 5 June (Ottawa), 17 June (Newfoundland); Whig, 17 June.

114 ‘Organization in Liverpool’ Times, 27 Oct. 1885.

115 Humphreys to Gosselin, 5 March. Cuttings enclosed of reports in the Evening Express of three lodge meetings in Liverpool; Gosselin to Jenkinson, 6 March; Jenkinson to Spencer, 8 March (Althorp MSS).

116 Whig, 18 March, 9, 17 April.

117 Ibid, 14 April; News-Letter, 14 April.

118 Whig, 1 May.

119 The Ulster Liberal Unionist Association, op. cit, 16–7.

120 Whig, 25 May, 17 June, 6 July; Keane’s Bath Journal, 22 May; Kate Courtney’s Diary, 10 to 19 June (L.S.E. Courtney MSS).

7 May, 22, 28 July. Currie led a group of working men to England to lobby with the trade union members and to campaign in the country. They were repudiated by Bowman in the name of the Belfast Trades Council. He declared for home rule. In turn, Bowman, who was secretary, was dismissed by the council for violating the rule not to associate the council with any political party.

121 Whig, 5, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 May, 14 June; News-Letter,

122 Whig, 28 June.

123 Ibid, 25 June, 12 July.

124 Ibid, 29 June.

125 Lucas, op. cit, 103–4.

126 Abercorn to Salisbury, 23 July (Salisbury MSS).

127 Whig, 9, 14 July.

128 See for instance, Freeman’s Journal, 5 July; Morning News, 21, 24 June.

129 See for instance, Whig, 3 July.

130 In 1885 the nationalists had been split on the question of land nationalization. Ibid, 8 July; News-Letter, 8 July.

131 News-Letter, 8 July.

132 Whig, 7 July.

133 A complete analysis of the riots is beyond the scope of this article. The fairest source is The report of the Belfast riots commissioners, 1887. The best reporting can be found in the Northern Whig, which was not emotionally committed to either the police or the mob. See also, the Belfast News-Letter and the Morning News.